BJP leader Chitra Wagh stokes controversy; compares Chandrakant Patil with social reformer Jyotiba Phule

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Chitra Wagh on Sunday compared Maharashtra cabinet minister and her senior party colleague Chandrakant Patil with social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.

Wagh, who heads BJP's state women wing, was speaking at a program organised by local BJP leader Hemant Rasne which was also attended by Patil.

"We can see Savitribai (wife of Phule and pioneer of women's education in Maharashtra in the 19th Century) in households, but a search is on for a Jyotiba (Phule) like Chandrakant Patil and BJP leader Hemant Rasne," she said.

Notably, Patil, the Higher and Technical Education Minister who is an MLA from Pune, had kicked up a row by commenting that B R Ambedkar and Jyotiba Phule didn't seek government grants for running educational institutions, but they "begged" people to gather funds for starting schools and colleges.

The use of the word "begged" stirred up a controversy, resulting in an ink attack on Patil.

Meanwhile, Wagh, who had filed a complaint against social media influencer Uorfi Javed for dressing "improperly" in public, said the latter should be praised as she has started wearing full clothes.

"I never had any problem with that woman or with any religion. I had a problem with abnormality but now I think we should praise her because she is seen in full clothes now. I have received multiple photographs of her and I can see she's wearing good clothes," Wagh said responding to a query from reporters.

Published on: Monday, January 30, 2023, 01:07 AM IST